Encounter: A Neophyte's Tale
by GamerJay
Summary: The power of Chaos may corrupt all those who give in to it, but not this deepthinking Neophyte as he alone confronts one of Chaos' Champions. Prelude to Star Fox 40,000
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I don't own Warhammer 40,000 or Star Fox. It is property of Games Workshop and Nintendo.**

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Encounter: A Neophyte's Tale

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The Ultramarine Scout cut his way slowly through the dense jungle bush, his short-blade green with vegetation. Sweat rolled down his forehead, before he wiped it off.

'By the Emperor,' he thought, 'When they said we would be on a 'tropical' world, they were not lying.'

His sniper-scoped rifle was slung over his shoulder as he continued to cut his way out of the bush, wishing he would come across a clear path soon enough. He was only made a Scout for a week and already they were giving him the hardest missions.

He stopped for a second, resting his arm.

'Why are we here on this world,' he thought again, 'They said nothing of any alien activity here. I will never know.'

He sighed and stepped forward…

"Ah!"

…where he fell from a ledge and half a meter down, falling flat on his face. He sighed again, as he realised he didn't see that coming.

_Brother Mortensen_, his earpiece radio said, _Status report._

The Scout known as Mortensen picked himself up and tapped his com.

"I am currently scouting grid-area #15, Brother-Captain," Mortensen replied, "No sign of any hostile activity here."

_That is good_, the other line remarked, _Scout one more mile and report back for debriefing. Out._

"Yes, my lord," Mortensen replied, before switching off his com.

He sighed once again. This was going to be a long day.

Three miles back at the base camp, a Space Marine Chaplain stood around near the wooden fence, one hand holding his large staff.

'I sense something neither ours, Eldar or of Chaos,' he thought, 'What is it?'

A Marine walked up to him.

"Brother-Chaplain Varnus," the Marine begun, "The captain instructed me to report to you that Scout Brother Mortensen has reported no hostiles so far."

Varnus nodded, then said, "Mortensen is walking towards some kind of hidden power on this planet. It feels like nothing we haveever sensed before."

The Marine was suddenly alarmed, "Shall I inform the captain and call back Mortensen?"

"No, you will not," Varnus replied, "We must see how this plays out."

"Yes, Brother-Chaplain," the Marine said, before walking away, understandably confused.

Mortensen continued to cut his own way through the jungle, after already going half a mile from his home base.

'Another half,' he thought, slightly relieved, 'And I will still make it back in time to attend Brother-Chaplain Varnus' services."

He took on large swipe with his short-blade, cutting away a hedge of vines. He tore away the rest before laying his eyes on something, which really took his breath away.

"By the Emperor…" he said softly.

In the centre of a massive clearing just ahead of him was what appeared to be a large stone temple, which doors were as large as a chapel's.

Mortensen knew he had to report this in. He reached for his earpiece.

"Brother Mortensen to Stronghold," he started, "Come in."

He heard static on the other end, which surprised him.

'What is this?' he thought, 'Radio is jammed?'

He looked up ahead at the temple, where he lowered his goggles and zoomed in, taking a better look at the temple doors. This wasn't like anything he had ever seen before. He raised his goggle and tore his way through the rest of the bush until his feet touched clearing.

He then walked towards the temple, looking up at it's height. He wondered why he couldn't have noticed it during his trek through the jungle, or that the Imperial Fleet couldn't have detected it from space and reported it. The front entrance was before some stairs, which Mortensen didn't hesitate to climb. Half a minute later he was before the stone doors.

'Nothing suspicious here,' he thought.

He walked up to the door and put a hand on it. He then banged on it with his fist.

'Sealed tight,' he thought, 'I should have known that.'

He then though of something.

'Who built this structure?' he thought, 'Imperium does not build stone chapels. Neither do the Eldar or even…'

He shuddered.

'…Chaos.'

He then noticed he was standing on something. It was a stone plaque image of a broken sword.

Mortensen took this to heart. He sheathed his blade and discarded his sniper rifle. He put them down on the ground. Suddenly, the doors slowly opened, the ground shaking gently. What laid beyond the door was a hallway illuminated by lighted torches.

'The temple doesn't allow weapons within it's walls,' he thought, 'A peaceful civilisation must have built this temple.'

He then thought of something rash.

'Tau, perhaps?'

He crouched down to pick up his weapons, which then the doors slowly begun to close. He paused, as did the doors.

'Curious,' he thought.

He then tapped his earpiece. There was still interference on the other line.

'Should I scout this temple?' he asked himself mentally.

He looked down the stone hallway. Somehow he could sense something…unsettling.

Making his mind up, Mortensen stepped through the doorway, expecting the doors to close behind them. They didn't though. And with that, Mortensen sighed with relief. He walked down in the temple, following the path illuminated by the torches. He felt weird not carrying a weapon.

'This will make for interesting reading on my report,' he thought.

He then came to the end of the hallway, where he was greeted by 2 doors made of marble.

'Marble?' he thought.

Mortensen walked up to the doors, which opened to him, revealing a blinding light. The Scout covered his eyes with him left arm.

At that moment, Varnus sensed a massive phase of power brewing from within the planet. He gripped his large staff tightly in his hands, as if preparing for combat.

'What is this power?' he thought.

His eyes then widened from behind his helmet.

"It can't be!" he exclaimed.

When the light dissipated, Mortensen looked over a large room made of what appeared to be marble; with pillars and statues of what appeared to be humanoids. Mortensen wondered how this place could be well kept if there was nobody around to maintain it.

But what really caught Mortensen's eye was a pedestal in the centre of the large room and what laid on it: A long, golden staff, which had some kind of blue gem embedded in it. The light glazed on it, allowing it to shine brightly in all it's glory.

'What is this?' Mortensen thought.

He then suddenly heard something growl behind him. The Scout spun around towards the doorway.

Nothing.

He walked up to the pedestal, where he glanced over the staff. He held the staff firmly in his hands, practically marvelling at it and seeing how it was crafted to be perfection. He contemplated taking it and turning it in to the captain once he got back to base as proof for his report.

'What is this I hold in my hand?' he thought, 'Who forged this weapon?'

His eyes widened, where it begun to slowly glow in his hands as if was alive. He thought about putting it back on the pedestal, when suddenly he heard something land roughly behind him, almost sending him off his feet, followed by a deep growl. He slowly turned around and felt every muscle in his being frozen, and his throat close up in a mix of shock and fear.

"Emperor help me!"

It was a Daemon-Prince, one of the massive beasts of Chaos that commanded the traitor legions that turned on the Emperor some 10,000 years ago. It's rough red hide with it's large, almost comical mouth, Chaos-infused battle-armour and it's large sword made it nothing short of a monstrosity of Chaos.

It smiled down at the Scout, who stepped back slightly, eyes wide in both surprise and fear.

"Jacques Mortensen," it spoke, "As always for someone of your being, curiosity has gotten the better of you. Now…"

It raised it's sword.

"…you will pay for your intrusion into this temple."

Jacques Mortensen felt fear slither into his sould. Then suddenly, it begun to disappear as determination filled his spirit. Like from some unknown force.

He gripped the staff in his hands.

"I'm not afraid of you, daemon. You will find than I am not easy prey."

Holding the staff, he felt as if was giving him strength and determination. He thanked it for that, knowing that any normal solitary human, even a Space Marine, would have turn the other way and run for his life.

"You speak valiant for a mere Scout Marine," the daemon said, "Let's see HOW WELL YOU DIE!"

He stepped forward and swung his sword. Jacques ducked to avoid the massive blade, then dove sideways to avoid it again. The daemon then swung again, just missing the Scout and only clipping the tip of his shoulder plating.

"You can dodge and duck all you want," the daemon said, "You will tire. And when you do, I will finish you…slowly."

Jacques felt that it was right. He was only armed with a close-range staff and that's not the kind of armament best suited against a massive daemon-prince.

"You DIE!" the daemon cried, and struck.

Jacques closed his eyes and swung as well, his staff connecting with the tip of the daemon's blade…surprisingly stopping it.

"What?" the daemon cried, "This can't be!"

Jacques swung against the daemon sword and a flash of green aura later the daemon stepped back some. His eyes widened in surprise, seeing the staff let off such power.

"So," the daemon said, "You can fight after all, lowly human."

"Stop talking!" Jacques exclaimed, "And fight!"

'That couldn't have been me talking,' he thought, alarmed, 'It has to be what I'm holding in my hands.'

The daemon growled, "Why don't we see how you fare against the servants of the Blood God!"

With that, the daemon-prince raised his head and roared, shaking the temple of it's foundations, and stirring the ghosts of whomever died to build this place. A dozen Khorne Bloodletters appeared around Jacques, each one arriving from the evil depths of The Warp.

The Scout gripped his staff as the daemon-prince stepped back, allowing the Bloodletters to move in, axes sharpened and ready to spill blood.

His blood.

"Destroy him!" the prince ordered, "His blood will make a fine offering to Khorne!"

The Bloodletters growled and charged at Jacques from all sides. The Scout frowned and swung his staff against the nearest one, a flash of energy sending it flying against the nearest pillar. Another one swung his axe at Jacques, who swerved to avoid being hit, before driving the staff through his chest.

"BLOOD!" another Bloodletter sounded off, before diving forward.

Jacques swung his staff against it's legs, sending if off it's feet. He then drove the point through it's head, where it squealed as it disappeared, being sent back to The Warp whence it came. Another two daemons attacked from behind, slamming into Jacques and sending him onto the ground.

A Bloodletter dove at him, axe bearing down on his chest. It didn't pierce the armour completely, but Jacques felt it skim his flesh. He gritted his teeth and kicked the daemon between the legs, where it would hurt the most.

Even for warp-spawn.

The daemon staggered back, dropping it's staff and moaning in pain, hand over it's crutch. Jacques smirked and grabbed his staff, rushing to drive it through it's chest, destroying it. The other daemon charged and swung his axe, which connected with Jacque's staff.

He then swept his foot against it's legs, before putting his foot down on it's head, destroying it.

The remaining ten Bloodletters backed off, where it turned to the daemon-prince. He looked back at them and he nodded. They then let off a battle cry and charged, axe poised. Jacques adopted a Scout battle-stance and prepared for more bloodshed.

Suddenly, he felt the staff in his hands vibrate, where the emerald embedded in it shone bright with pure, untainted energy.

"What the…?" Jacques questioned.

As if the staff had a mind of it's own, it released a light wave of energy towards the horde of Bloodletter, where they all froze in their tracks, feeling their muscles tense up. They each cried out in pain, putting them at the Scout's mercy.

Jacques smiled and ran towards the daemons, where he delivered a staff swipe to each one, slicing each across the chest. They all screamed as they faded away back to Khorne, leaving the daemon-prince speechless.

The Scout stepped back to see the prince in it's entirety.

"Are you going to fight me now?" he asked, "Or send more of your warp-spawn to weaken me?"

The daemon complied by swinging away at Jacques, who deflected each blow with the staff, the size of their weapons not playing any part of the battle. The daemon's blows became more vicious and devastating until…

"RAAAAGGGGHHHHH!"

The daemon-prince jumped up into the air and came down on Jacques, who cried out and held his staff to himself, closing his eyes. He reopened them when he realised; he was not crushed under the daemon's feet. He felt a weird aura project over him and he could see that the staff was projecting some kind of shield over him. The daemon tried to crack the shield with his feet.

Jacques smiled, as the daemon-prince began to panic.

"This can't be happening!" the daemon prince exclaimed.

"Well it is, daemon!" Jacques exclaimed, before gripping the staff and turning it, deflecting the daemon away form him.

He then raised his staff at the daemon, where he instantly fired of a bolt of blue energy, which struck the daemon in the chest. It cried out in pain. Looking at his staff, and getting the idea, he aimed it still at the daemon-prince and gripped it, firing off several more energy shots, making him step back.

H felt and impulse to tighten his hold on the staff, and in doing so, fired off an even larger blast.

"You cannot know how to use that staff," the daemon cried, "No human can!"

"I am glad to disappoint you," Jacques said firmly, "Because I am going to send you back where you came from. But first…"

He glared.

"Answer me this: This is some kind of test, is it not, daemon?

"You can figure that out yourself," the daemon bellowed, "Before Chaos comes for you."

He then gripped the staff tighter, holding it for more than a few seconds. He felt energy drain from him and into the weapon.

'My life is charging the staff,' he thought alarmed, 'How could it?'

Energy begun to sprout from the end of the staff, particularly from the crystal embedded in it. He aimed it square at the daemon's chest. He then loosened his grip…and fired a massive blast of pure energy which tore through the daemon-prince causing it to let go of it's massive sword, which landed roughly and loudly on the ground just near Jacques.

"NOOOOO!" it screamed.

It exploded in a mix of blue and Chaos crimson. The blast tore a hole through the temple and into the sky, letting sunlight into the room.

Victorious, as well as severely weak, he fell to his knees, dropping the staff.

Jacques then fell on his side, breathing softly. His eyes felt heavy and he felt the impulse to pass out. He followed it and entered that dark place where there no pain nor thought. Only his slow breathing and loud heartbeat could be heard

It didn't feel like seconds later when opened his eyes to find he was lying on something hard, his head supported by something soft. His armour was stripped off; leaving him only dressed in short pants.

An Apothecary Marine looked over him, before looking away at another Marine, whose back was turned.

"Brother Mortensen has awoken, Brother-Chaplain," the Apothecary said, before walking way, his job done.

Jacques saw he was lying in the medical ward back at base camp, and that Chaplain Varnus himself was with him, who was looking down at the Scout Marine.

"How are you feeling, Brother?" Varnus asked, his voice projecting out of his skull-helmet.

"I think I will live, my lord," Jacques replied.

"We found out where you were through that massive beam of energy that tore out through the atmosphere from the planet's surface," Varnus said, "I still cannot believe we did not detect this temple when we first landed on this world."

"Well," Jacques chuckled softly, "We know now."

Varnus nodded, "May I ask what happened to you in that stone structure?"

Jacques opened his mouth and spoke of his fight with a daemon-prince, armed only with a some sort of mystical staff. Varnus was both impressed…and confused.

"A daemon-prince?" Varnus queried, "It is not possible."

"My word is of truth, Brother-Chaplain," Jacques said, "This must have been some kind of test."

"I see," Varnus said, "We have just secured the temple and our Librarians are studying whatever we can find that is off value to the Imperium. They have not reported finding a staff."

Jacques' eyes went wide, "Impossible."

"But I believe you, good servant of the Emperor," Varnus said, rather warmly, "And that I why I am arranging for you to proof your worth as a full Battle-Brother and have you transferred afterwards."

Jacques' was still wide, only know of joy. His days of being a Neophyte were over; he has been given the chance to pass his final blood trial and have the rest of his gene-seed organs implanted. And afterwards…

"Where…where were you be transferring me to?" Jacques said, rather hesitantly.

"The 2nd Company," Varnus replied, "And as it turns out, they are getting ready for a new campaign in an unexplored portion of the universe. Have you ever heard of the Lylat System?"

Jacques queered his eyebrows, hearing that word for the first time in his life.

"Lylat System, Brother Varnus?"

Meanwhile within the depth of the Immaterium, better known as The Warp, Khorne and Nurgle had watched the battle at the temple from his planet. The Blood God frowned as the Plague God smirked and turned to him.

"I would seem I win this wager, Khorne," he said, "Space Marines and Cerinian weapon do mix after all."

"Don't seek to remind me," Khorne replied, "Only Cerinia has the true power to defeat Chaos, and we must be seek to put an end to it."

"Oh, do not worry," Nurgle continued, "The world you speak off being consumed Chaos even as we speak, and we will yet have a stranglehold on that little system and the spoils it will garner, to prepare us for our final victory over the Imperium."

"I hope you're right, Nurgle," Khorne said, "For Chaos' sake, you best be."

**Continued in Star Fox 40,000...**


	2. Closing Notes

Thank you to all those who have read this fic and reviewed. Your feedback is greatly appreciated.

This fic serves as a prologue to my Star Fox/Warhammer 40,000 story **Star Fox 40,000** (creative name, eh?) So if you want to read about the further adventures and exploits of Ultramarine Jacques Mortensen, be sure to check it out.

Adios for now.

- GamerJay.


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